Daily blog, April 16: Infected healthcare staffer also worked at nursing homes
A healthcare worker diagnosed with coronavirus who had worked at both the North West Regional Hospital and the North West Private Hospital had also worked at three nursing homes, it has been revealed. The news comes as the state recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Get all the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis sweeping the state and country.
This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. To support the Mercury, subscribe here:
>> SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE $1 FOR THE FIRST 28 DAYS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The state has 169 infections
- What went wrong in the North West?
- More than 100 people fined for flouting lockdown laws
- IVF clinics in the state have been shut down
- Politician slammed for staying at East Coast shack
READ: Everything we know on every case of COVID-19 in Tasmania
Have questions about business and retail, finishing school or how your movements are restricted?
9.10pm: INFECTED STAFFER ALSO WORKED AT NURSING HOMES
PUBLIC Health Services is working with three nursing homes on the North-West Coast after contact tracing found that a healthcare worker diagnosed with coronavirus who had worked shifts at both the North West Regional Hospital and the North West Private Hospital had also worked at nursing homes.
Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch said the person was diagnosed on Wednesday and investigations to determine their movements found that the person worked shifts at Melaleuca Nursing Home in East Devonport, Eliza Purton Home for the Aged in Ulverstone, and Coroneagh Park in Penguin.
There are no other confirmed cases of coronavirus in any of these three facilities. One resident, displaying mild respiratory symptoms, has been tested today. The results of this test are expected on Friday.
The revelation comes as the state recorded 11 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.
Ten of these are from the North-West and one is from the South. Seven are women and four are men.
Three of these are staff members of the NWRH and/or the North West Private Hospital.
Four are close contacts of a previously confirmed case linked to the North West outbreak.
Two cases are patients in the Mersey Community Hospital who were previously in the NWRH.
Two other cases are continuing to be investigated.
This brings the state’s total to 180.
“PHS is working with these [nursing home] facilities to ensure they have the appropriate infection control tools in place,” Dr Veitch said.
“Any resident or staff member displaying symptoms will be tested as a priority.
“We understand that residents of these facilities, including their family members and loved ones, may be concerned at this news. We can assure the community that PHS is doing everything it can to work with the facilities to identify any other potential cases and reiterate that there is no outbreak in any Tasmanian nursing home.”
The situation with coronavirus is changing regularly. People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au.
8.55pm: TIME TO SHINE FOR OUR FRONTLINE STARS
THEY are the heroes keeping Tasmania running during the coronavirus crisis — and this is your chance to say thank you.
On Friday, the Mercury launches #Shine4thefrontline, a campaign to pay tribute to frontline workers for their dedication during these unprecedented times.
Through the campaign, we are calling on Tasmanians to shine a light from their homes at 8pm on Saturday, and each night thereafter, as a show of gratitude.
8pm: CLAIM HOSPITAL WORKERS WERE TOLD NOT TO USE PPE
STAFF at the North-West Regional Hospital were told not to worry about using personal protective equipment during a recent “code black” incident, their union says.
The hospital, which is the centre of a major outbreak of COVID-19, has since been closed and staff ordered into quarantine.
OUTBREAK FORCES HOSPITALS TO SHUT DOWN
NORTH WEST REGIONAL HOSPITAL TO START DEEP CLEAN
Health and Community Sector Union assistant state secretary Robbie Moore said the incident was emblematic of PPE shortages in the health system during the current pandemic.
5.50pm: AGFEST MOVES FROM THE PADDOCK TO THE CLOUD
ORGANISERS of Tasmania’s biggest rural event have come up with a unique solution to ensure Tasmanians can still get their Agfest bargains.
The Agfest committee have launched a new online format for event they say will take it from the paddock to the cloud.
Scheduled to kick off on May 7, the virtual event will run for three weeks.
5.15pm: FERRY OPERATOR STANDS DOWN SPIRIT CREW
A LACK of passenger bookings between Tasmania and Victoria has prompted Spirit of Tasmania operator TT-Line to start standing down staff.
Employees were told today that they would be stood down.
The two Spirit of Tasmania ferries will continue to operate their normal sailing schedule although the Sunday night service has already been cancelled due to a lack of bookings in both directions.
4.20pm: DISASTER TEAM READY FOR AUSTRALIAN-FIRST DEPLOYMENT
THEIR resume reads like a roll call of major disasters — and the Australian Medical Assistance Team will be drawing on every bit of that overseas experience to help restore the North-West Regional Hospital’s emergency department.
It is the first time an AUSMAT team has been deployed in Australia.
The highly trained personnel have helped health systems in developing nations recover from cyclones, typhoons, earthquakes and dengue fever outbreaks.
3pm: MEDICOS ON STANDBY AS HOSPITAL CLEAN CONTINUES
A CRACK emergency medical crew is on standby waiting for deep cleaning to finish before they can reopen the emergency department at Burnie’s beleaguered North West Regional Hospital.
The hospital has been the scene of a coronavirus outbreak that has resulted in 85 staff and patients infected.
It was hoped the ED would be back in operation today but the professional cleaning task – for which a crew of 17 needed to be trained – is taking longer than expected.
11.30am: SEVEN CHARGED AFTER HOUSE PARTY
SEVEN people have been charged following an illegal gather at a house in Winnaleah in North-East Tasmania.
The people are charged with failing to comply with the direction of the Director of Public Health, after police were called to the property at Main Street about 7pm on 12 April.
Tasmania Police say officers spoke to the occupants who appeared to be complying at that time.
However, about an hour later, police were called to re-attend the address in relation to a disturbance.
They then found that the owners of the house were hosting a gathering, with a total of 10 additional people, including children.
10.30am: CAVALRY BROUGHT IN TO BOLSTER RESPONSE ON NW
A NEW aeromedical helicopter, contract ambulance cleaners and up to 50 extra paramedics will be brought into Tasmania to bolster emergency services as coronavirus cases continue to climb in the North West.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the helicopter would have the capacity to carry two patients per flight.
Between 40-50 Ambulance Tasmania positions have been advertised to bolster the workforce.
Currently, paramedics are tasked with cleaning ambulances at the end of their shift.
Now contract cleaners will take over that role to reduce the workload on paramedics and free up their time to deal with emergencies.
New figures given today show 97 of the State’s 169 coronavirus cases have come from the North West.
Eighty-five are part of the North West Regional Hospital Outbreak and 56 of those are healthcare workers.
In the State’s south there have been 44 COVID-19 infections in total and in the north just 25.
9.30am: MORNING BRIEFING
Stay tuned for this morning’s coronavirus update with the Premier Peter Gutwein, Health Minister Sarah Courtney and health officials Colonel David Hughes.
Watch the briefing live here:
8pm, yesterday: FOUR NEW CASES BRINGS TOTAL TO 169
AN additional four coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Tasmania since 6pm last night.
Director of Public Health, Dr Mark Veitch, said all of the new cases were from the north-west.
This brings the state’s tally to 169.
Two of the cases are women and two are men.
One is in their 40s, two are in their 50s and one is in their 80s.
Further details to come.
The situation with coronavirus is changing regularly. People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au
6pm yesterday, VIRUS TEST BLITZ AS TASMANIA’S INFECTION NUMBERS SPIKE
THE State Government has launched a testing blitz in the state’s North-West in the hope of a five-fold increase in COVID-19 screenings as infection numbers surge.
The 15 cases detected on Tuesday was the highest daily total recorded so far in Tasmania, and represented just over 10 per cent of the 144 tests conducted. All cases were in the North-West, and included nine health workers, four patients, one close contact and one person who had multiple potential sources of infection.
Last night, there were another four cases confirmed, bringing the state’s total to 169. All were from the North-West.
Amid calls from the opposition for more testing, Premier Peter Gutwein urged anyone with potential symptoms to come forward.
3pm, yesterday: IGNORANT KEYBOARD WARRIORS SLAMMED
IGNORANT “keyboard warriors” have been told to back off their attacks on the state’s healthcare workers.
Premier Peter Gutwein and Health Minister Sarah Courtney said they were appalled at reports of health workers being vilified online during the coronavirus pandemic.
The nurses union says the problem is real, but the hate is being far outweighed by messages of support from the public.
Baseless rumours relating to the spread of the virus in the community were repeated on Wednesday by Commonwealth chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy.
Experts push for double shot as new Covid wave looms
As deaths from Covid continue, Tasmanians are being urged to get boosters and flu shots with doctors saying infection rates are “taking off and complacency is setting in”. LATEST FIGURES >>
Covid-safety urged as daily case numbers decline
The pace of Tasmania’s winter Covid wave is slowing but the public is urged to remain vigilant. LATEST FIGURES >>